Following the UKs exit from the European Union, the covid-19 pandemic and various financial scandals, there is always lots going on in this area. If you are unsuccessful at an assessment day, you should discuss reapplying with a member of the graduate recruitment team. It was a different kind of awards ceremony last night as hundreds of viewers stayed at home to watch the 17th annual LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards streamed live on Facebook and Instagram. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Sports law involves the legal issues at play in the worlds of both amateur and professional sport. But note: some of your interviewers may dress down. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. You are also invited to social events at the firm so you can start building your network before you join us. Firm Profile . Yes, if the work experience is applicable. A vacation scheme at Macfarlanes is a two-week snapshot into life as a trainee. Bar Course /BVS / BPTC 2023-2024 : what are everyone's plans? Continue Reading Interview Questions Q: Why you choose Macfarlanes? Please get in touch with our recruitment teamif you have further questions. Written was the hardest as it was very time pressured but even though some of us didn't finish on time, still managed to get onto the scheme. You can find out more in our privacy policy at any time by going to the link in our footer. The network runs awareness-raising events and socials and provides networking opportunities both internally and with our clients. Law firms in profit despite pandemic; firms reinstate NQ pay. Justify every decision you make and don't leave out points that are both for and against your client. The written exercise is probably the most difficult (see below). In addition, our litigators are able to offer strategic and tactical advice to best protect our clients in the event of a dispute arising. For the online form its essential that you have really researched our firm consider why you want to build your long-term career at Macfarlanes specifically. Competition and regulatory work includes merger control, regulatory and court proceedings, issues arising from sector-specific regulation and utility procurement issues. Qualified Lawyers Assessment QLA (Re-qualifying in Scotland), Norton Rose Fulbright - Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme, Starting new training contract, I need all the advice possible, MOJ Trainee Legal Advisor - Magistrates Court - 2022, Law career advice for 2nd year LLB student with a flimsy CV. Several had other careers first. We are members of the Business Disability Forum and work closely with the Forum to ensure our processes remain accessible and fair to all candidates. https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/macfarlanes-bid-diversity-cv-blind-interview, RPC Assessment Centre- business meeting exercise, AC feedback - lack of understanding the trainee's role, The negotiation exercise is usually a sponsorship deal. 2nd stage interview, a presentation on legaltech followed by a Q and A. The process took 2+ months. This involved looking at the employment contract, examining against the facts, and coming to a conclusion. Answer Question Please visit the Apply page on our website to watch avideoabout our training programme assessment day. I was put in a group with 6 people including myself. Where can I study the SQE preparation course? Employment lawyers work across all areas of employment law, including handling discrimination, staff restructuring and whistleblowing issues. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Ask around for advice and support and practice for the interview stages as much as possible. Industry: Legal. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Yes. The firm will reimburse SQE costs for anyone who is successful in securing a place on the training programme. I am not yet at university. We reimburse reasonable travel expenses for candidates who attend an assessment day for our vacation scheme or training programme. They kept dragging out the time before they sent me the assessment, and then decided not to hire me. Exeter Assessment Centre. The scheme will comprise of skills workshops, work shadowing and presentations. The qualities we look for in our lawyers include strong interpersonal skills, an ambitious commercial approach, drive, motivation and resilience. I attended the assessment center, which consisted of one timed written exercise, one group exercise focused on negotiation, and one commercial case study with a partner and senior associate followed by the interview. Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job thats right for you. This includes using contextual recruitment and running diversity-specific open days and mentoring programmes. General introduction - interview with partners - written exercise - group negotiation. Practise a simulation here . Our culture is thoughtful, challenging and supportive, and we are a place where everyone, at whatever level, can thrive. By clicking Accept cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device. Click herefor more information on dates. There's surprisingly little info on the internet. I am studying a four year degree course, with a year abroad in my third year. It was about different categories of shareholders and shares, (apply the companys articles to a problem scenario) and needed a numerical answer for the value the company could recover (no calculator but very basic maths, e.g.dividing by 10). Join Bright Network and Aspiring Solicitors Make sure you are aware of our opportunities and on-top of all the deadlines by joining these careers service organisations. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Going to one of our events gives you a better understanding of what we do as a firm and what we offer you as a potential future trainee. Our first-year insight scheme is aweek-long event designed to provide students with an insight into City law. When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Interview with a partner: 20 minutes, first 10 on an ethical scenario leaving a VERY short time for personal questions. Its difficult to prepare for. Can I reapply if my application is not successful? In the group presentation make sure you contribute when planning the presentation as the partner will be watching, also dont get bogged down in the details but try to see the overall picture. Presentation from trainees Then we had lunch with trainees and partners, which was a little intimidating at first but fine once we were going. Are you allowed to take tracing paper into the Maths GCSE? It also looks into your motivations for pursuing a career in commercial law at Macfarlanes; and. I understand that Macfarlanes future trainees undertake further study at BPP in Holborn. Are vacation scheme and insight scheme participants paid? These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. How will technology change the legal sector? This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Nice experience, the interviewers were very friendly and willing to help with any questions I had. You complete modules that are bespoke to Macfarlanes. Anyone here in-house with Disney or know anything about the company? good questions and very good structure . I applied through a recruiter. The interview is 40 mins in total: 20 mins in-tray exercise and 20 mins competency based Qs. The coordinators were really helpful and gave me a prep call before so I knew what to expect from it. Macfarlanes interview details: 23 interview questions and 24 interview reviews posted anonymously by Macfarlanes interview candidates. Intellectual property is an umbrella term for a variety of different rights which protect intellectual creations, such as inventions, brands, designs, and literary and artistic works. You will have the opportunity to meet trainees, solicitors and partners within the firm. The firm has partnered with BPP to design a bespoke programme that goes beyond helping you pass SQE assessments. Online application. Work can include being asked to draft a real letter and then working through the draft with a solicitor or trainee or carrying out some research on a live issue for a client. Comp and culture? Candidates interviewing for Trainee Solicitor and Insight Day rated their interviews as the hardest, whereas interviews for Associate and Associate Lawyer roles were rated as the easiest. Anyone else 12 weeks behind with uni work? Biomedical Science: 2023/24 Applicants Thread. Why do you want to become a solicitor? While many of our practice areas can be found at other firms, the mix cannot. As with the SQE preparation course, the firm covers your fees, and you receive a 13,000 grant. That said, everyone is encouraged to keep business attire at the office in case they need to attend an event or meeting where dress down would be inappropriate. A. a written exercise where you are expected to read a source text and complete two written pieces. What I would say is so make sure you finish the letter, even if it isnt your best! My interviewer was very friendly and put me very much at ease when I was very nervous going into it. . Any thoughts on working at Twitter as counsel? We always recruit trainees from both vacation schemes and direct training programme applications in each intake. The day involved a 20-minute exercise with a partner, a written exercise and a group exercise. "Why law/Macfarlanes? Apply. Our spring vacation scheme often takes place during Ramadan, so this is something we consider when organising the programme of events. I interviewed at Macfarlanes. Regarding the interview, this is split in two parts one focusing on personal experiences (mostly competency questions) and the other on a case study, which you will have already had the chance to read before the interview. Be the first to find this interview helpful, Why Law Why Macfarlanes Describe a time when you overcame an obstacle, "Are you resilient?" We recently published a firmwide video on our intranet to raise awareness and understanding of neurodiverse conditions such dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism in the workplace. Reply 1. Spring 2024 - Sit the SQE2 examination. I interviewed at Macfarlanes Interview The assessment centre consists of roughly 3 exercises if I remember it right: written exercise, negotiation, and interview with partner and associate. Pleasant. To apply for a vacation scheme you will need to be in at least the penultimate year of your degree. Can I send in a copy of my CV and a covering letter instead of completing an application online? Private Client. The exercise is about understanding the roles of lawyers and commercial awareness. There were quite a lot of applicants together on the same day. Some common areas that lead to applicants not passing the application stage include lack of research on the firm, poor spelling, grammar and punctuation, not meeting the minimum requirements, not fully articulating your motivations, needing more complete or more succinct responses to questions, poor example choices and repetition of ideas. Your choices regarding cookies on this site. What are your thoughts about xyz? The case study was very interesting to read it through and discuss with the partners. Macfarlanes trainee experience. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions that you might find useful. If I am employed as a paralegal and complete the SQE and QWE independently, will the firm pay for my practising certificate once I am qualified? You then come back to the main room for the negotiation with the other sub team. Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved. Applications open on 26 September 2022 online via our website and will close on 27 January 2023. They also encouraged me to apply for a TC next year which I think bodes well as I think they thought I was a strong candidate who just lacked a bit of experience at this stage. All rights reserved. We know each other personally which means we work together with more cohesion, and less formality. Pleasecontact the early legal careers team. Application blind and contextual recruitment. I interviewed at Macfarlanes (London, England) in Apr 2021. If you would like to apply for both, we suggest applying for the vacation scheme first, wait to hear the result of your application and then apply for our training programme if necessary. Full instructions are given by the early legal careers team before the exercise; an interview with a partner and a senior associate. Interested in a future career as a lawyer? Then you can start the Macfarlanes SQE preparation course alongside your cohort of Macfarlanes future trainees. Leading City firms adopt measures to combat obstacles faced by Black, Asian and minority ethnic lawyers. Strong academics. Do you accept applications from people like me? There is no set time, but we suggest you neither rush nor leave it to the last minute. Any thoughts on working at Twitter as counsel? All rights reserved. Issues such as climate change and the need for alternative energy sources make environmental laws more important than ever. The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. Written exercises: Attention to detail, true or false logic, and conditionality About us Diversity and inclusion Facts and figures Thoughts on Wilson Elser? When you apply for the training programme, you should be in at least your final year. The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide. What is Macfarlanes doing to become a more sustainable and environmentally friendly business? Anyone else 12 weeks behind with uni work? They kept dragging out the time before they sent me the assessment, and then decided not to hire me. Do not feel pressured to respond too quickly, but take time to give considered answers. 1 partner interview - standard interview, cv and commerciality based. for recruitment purposes, (including via virtual assessment centres and virtual trainee experiences); to promote our legal services, including . No, not at all. Trainees get in involved in our St Hildas legal advice clinic on a rotational basis. There was a group negotiation task (nothing too complicated, just about showing you're a team player) followed by a written assessment (quite time pressured) and then an interview, half of which is a case study and the other half about you. You have 45 minutes to complete this exercise; a business case study exercise where you are given three business case studies to prepare in 30 minutes. The examination comprises two stages: SQE 1 and SQE 2. I interviewed at Macfarlanes (London, England) in Jan 2021. See what employees say it's like to work at Macfarlanes. While we dont have a set list, we look for candidates who have the core skills below, which are tested through the assessment day and interview stages: We really see our trainees as the future of our firm and are proud to have a consistently strong retention rate. We also use a contextual recruitment tool to understand each applicants achievements in the context they were gained. A fresh and exciting area of legal practice, specialist lawyers provide copy clearance advice and work with big-brand clients. A long application followed by an assessment centre with a case study, partner/associate interview and written exercise. If you are interested in a career in commercial law and would like a career at Macfarlanes, we welcome your application. This employer has not claimed their Employer Profile and is missing out on connecting with our community. Our HR team liaise with third party occupational health and other medical professionals. Make the most of their events and skills building workshops. The associate may ask some follow up questions about the negotiation. If we have not yet reviewed your application, we may be able to add the missing information. Solicitor | Macfarlanes Profile Highlights: State school educated Ethnic minority First generation lawyer Contact Me To contact me, please login or register Profile: I am a Solicitor at Macfarlanes LLP having qualified in September 2017. To save you time . The programme combines classroom and digital learning to embed knowledge and uses business simulation exercises to help you apply your knowledge in realistic practice scenarios. They lead the client relationship management and advise clients on a range of issues, from housing to employment. Banking and finance involves many financial products, from bank loans to companies to highly structured financing arrangements across multiple jurisdictions. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Opens the Fishbowl by Glassdoor site in a new window. ", Opens the Fishbowl by Glassdoor site in a new window, motivations for law, about you, and competency on resilience. To find out what it is like to work at Macfarlanes read the firm's Meet the Lawyer profile. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. A big thank you to the graduate recruitment team for delivering such a memorable Assessment Centre and . They discuss adjustments required by our employees and ensure these are implemented. To apply you will need to be in the first year (and second year on a four-year course) of your undergraduate degree. Make sure you have convincing answers to questions like why law, why Macfarlanes, why haven't you done vac schemes, what other firms have you applied to, how have you demonstrated resilience etc. The first exercise was a group negotiation exercise. We had certain goals to achieve from the negotiations, and time to prepare amongst ourselves. To understand more about how we use cookies or to change your cookie preferences, click on Showsettings. Summer/autumn 2024 begin studying for the SQE with BPP. A national fund designed to boost social mobility within the legal profession, address the recruitment and retention crisis, and ultimately improve access to justice has been launched. All employees have access to the Thrive wellbeing app, and we have a network of guardians across the firm who are trained to provide a confidential space to share issues employees feel they need to discuss. What kind of technology are you interested in most? These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. Scheme launched to improve social mobility and access to justice in legal aid sector. For the written exercise, focus on the details and dont make silly errors. No, we do not accept applications after the deadline has passed. The process took 1 day. We recruit 1520 participants for our first year insight scheme. For the commercial case study manage your time equally across all 3 segments as the partner will ask you about all 3. The case study focusses on a series of scenarios under tight timed conditions. Are you supportive if they have forgotten their point/are being brutally questioned by the other side and do you bring in quieter members of the group if they are struggling? Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved. Anonymous Interview Candidate in London, England, I applied online. Nepotism always wins it seems. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. We advise on procurement strategies, development agreements, building contracts, professional appointments, warranties, guarantees and bonds, risk and project management and dispute avoidance. Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund returns for second year in a row. At Bright Network we use cookies and similar technologies to help deliver you the best possible experience. Thoughts on Wilson Elser? Among the different types of client in this area are performers, managers and agents, artists, theatres, broadcasters and publishers. The interviewer will point you to problems you have missed though, so dont worry if you dont get everything first time round. Sponsored by Gowling WLG (UK) LLP. What are your thoughts about xyz? All other questions have a limit of 300 words. I interviewed at Macfarlanes (London, England) in Jul 2022, Introduction Yes, we pay our vacation scheme and insight scheme participants for the duration of the scheme. Leadership skills. Immigration lawyers deal with all legal matters relating to immigration and nationality. 1875. Partners and Graduate Recruitment were both friendly and made sure that I felt comfortable on the day. If I choose an alternative route to qualify than the training programme will the firm pay for the cost of me sitting the SQE? If you are studying a non-law degree, you can only apply for a place on our vacation schemes from your penultimate year onwards. There are changing rooms in our office for employee use. We would really encourage anyone with disabilities and long-term or mental health conditions to share as much information as they can during the application process. 13 years ago. 19. How far before the deadline should I apply? Priority for NQ places is given to those who have completed the firms training programme. This employer has not claimed their Employer Profile and is missing out on connecting with our community. Our selection process includes a range of assessments. Can I still apply? Assessment Centre: 1: Group Negotiation - Testing communication skills largely 2: Written Exercise - time pressured - right or wrong answers - bit of basic maths 3: Interview - mostly competency - some commercial awareness. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Because we respect your right to privacy, below you will find descriptions on the types of cookies used on this site and options to opt out where preferred. If I have completed the LPC, will I still need to complete the Macfarlanes SQE preparation course? This part of the day is not assessed, but we encourage you to have questions prepared. We structured it so that each of us in the group could start and make the point on one of the issues up for negotiation, and lead the negotiations for our side. There were three elements. Interview. Any work experience, within the legal sector or elsewhere, will be taken into account when we review your application. The format at the Assessment Centre was as follows: Negotiation exercise Presentation from trainees Written exercise Interview + case study Work shadowing For the negotiation exercise, just be yourself ensure you speak and make valid points as they assess everything you say. Unless the partner proves you're wrong, this is usually an opportunity for you to hold your ground and show your potential as a future lawyer, Written exercise suggested to be the hardest because of time constraints. We recruit 55 participants across our three vacation schemes annually. Around 15% of direct training programme applicants are invited in for an assessment day, which lasts from 9am until 2pm. Firms reinstate NQ pay and tell staff they can choose how and when to work. We hope you use the assessments as a chance to build your understanding of us and what makes us different, just as we see it as a chance to gain an understanding of you. Its important to remember theyre just there to have a lunch and answer any questions you have or just discuss things. Please detail these circumstances in your application for us to consider. Type: Company - Private. What makes a successful application to Macfarlanes, Pride Matters: Striving for actual equality, Types of student and graduate opportunities, Essential cookies to make this website work, Third party cookies used for personalised ads and content, Well rounded candidates who will make the most of our varied seat rotations, Great teamwork skills, which include being kind and considerate, Resilience that is a grit and ambition to take on real responsibility, Brain power clever people who can think on their feet. During your SQE preparation course you also attend regular seminars from the firm, where you hear from associates in our practice areas. Work shadowing. Diversity Schemes. Saw the below headline today in The Lawyer. Yes, but any training programme offer would be subject to your having the right to work in the UK for the duration of your training programme. It is not a comprehensive list of religions, but we designed it to include thosewith practices thathave direct implications in a work setting. Spring/Summer 2022 - Receive your training programme offer from Macfarlanes. Commercial litigators represent and advise commercial clients when disputes arise from joint venture projects, civil fraud, commercial and banking transactions, corporate governance, financial services regulation and professional negligence. Body language and speech are important: don't slouch or mumble and avoid verbal tics such as 'like', 'you know' and 'sort of'. Its very difficult to prepare for the quick scenario to discuss, but think about privileged information and codes of ethics for solicitors. REACH (race, ethnicity and cultural heritage) is a forum for networking and peer support. Join our training to understand the financial world. The energy sector is an important part of the legal landscape and is making more headlines than ever before. Sponsored by Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP. Has anyone here used upwork or other similar sites to initially get work to start your own firm? The last interview was an in-tray exercise, basically. The early legal careers team will arrange a follow up call with you before your assessment day to discuss any adjustments further. The firms CSR programme uses the skills and time of our people associates and business services to support disadvantaged communities, through providing practical help and financial support. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Draw upon what other people say, expanding on their points. Can I still apply? They will work with you to understand the changes you need and ensure these are put in place. Corporate tax involves involves advising clients on the tax risks associated with acquiring, selling or restructuring assets. Private client solicitors looks after the affairs of individual clients and trustees, managing all aspects of their personal wealth. We are Macfarlanes LLP, the City of London based, international law firm, and entities controlled by Macfarlanes LLP through which it carries out its business ("Macfarlanes", "we", "us" or "our"). Sponsored by Cooley (UK) LLP. Please describe the interview process at Macfarlanes. However, you will need to complete the Professional Skills Course (PSC) during your qualifying work experience. We also have a firmwide religious and cultural events calendar that highlights important dates throughout the year to promote awareness and understanding. The second part was by far more difficult, insofar as the case study itself was challenging and the partner would endlessly question me without, as had happened in other interviews, being particularly helpful/leading towards a solution. Please prepare each case study equally and expect to discuss all three in a similar level of detail; an application interview with a partner and a member of our HR team. What exercises can I expect at a training programme assessment day? LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards 2020: the results. Lawyer Rankings London > Employment > Employee share schemes (Leading individuals) Robert Collard - Macfarlanes LLP. Commercial lawyers focus on trade, from commercial agreements about supply, manufacture and distribution to identifying the best routes to market. Contentious construction work involves the resolution of disputes while non-contentious work involves drafting and negotiating contracts and advising on projects. data centres and large residential and commercial developments.